rning cam

campus was already busy with students moving between buildings, laughing in groups, call

emed to fit anywhere. Most people either ignored her or found some reason to make fun

es, assignments, and the occasional whispered conversation around her. Chloe kept to hers

cking her books when someo

H

here, smiling. Chloe glanced be

e answered

led again. "

O

e wa

side her and sat down. "I've wa

ened around the edge

ly. "Because I wante

swer was so unexpected that

M

s.

her friend. Usually, they approached her because they wanted to laugh at her, em

een watching me?" Ch

smiled.

ds a littl

, when you put it like

st time, Ch

ced. "There.

y looked awa

round

oked at

You always sit alone. You draw duri

to believe her. "You rea

es

hy

r a moment. "I don

t the answer m

the joke or the insult that never came. But Francis kept talking. She was funny when she wanted to be, serious when

eal laugh. Not the small, polite smile she ga

oe had forgotten that she wa

ed at her. "

or just a moment.

ien

begged for attention. She hadn't tried to make herself smaller. She hadn't had to

hat meant more t

as usual. She and Derby had known each other for some time, though they were not particularly close. Their conver

ogether for a short while

y?" Mary as

hed. "Gre

d. "Still

way

her head. "That boy need

lways bee

ser

s a brie

e said casually, "you once said you

ked at he

es

emember sa

d you wanted him

ighed.

slowly. "May

ck. "He loved G

di

ow he sti

t. Then she said, "But Gra

ked down.

life watching him stay alone beca

't answer

I only mean that he dese

d. "You may

d. "I thin

d at her th

as an afterthought, "Som

ked at he

ligent. Hardworking. Respectful. And she seem

l laugh. "Grey wo

kno

Chl

dmires

an eyebrow.

he has a little

ghed. "I

know what to

head. "She bar

ying they should ge

laughe

'm only saying they coul

oman was hardworking, polite, and talented. She had noti

hap

ighed.

thing. She s

was e

rby waited until they were sitti

re

es

omeone r

ked at h

member

changed. "The girl who

es

back. "Wha

"She seems lik

ion hardened s

ha

ou telling

use I think you shou

people e

ow what

way. "I don't

ftened. "You've been

ean

has been go

ightened.

loved

till

one is asking you

mother. "Then wha

o consider mo

id no

erby continued. "She's inte

hl

es

y f

k something lo

cross the ground. A young girl crouched in the rain,

rew t

h

ve a g

s mother. "The gi

ed. "You re

The shy way she had looked at him. The strange f

girl who was

es

xpressio

is mind. "She was even admiring your picture in the sit

jaw tig

mselves in his mind. The girl walking away from him.

oughts

why he kep

had been staring at his photograph.

't be coi

ion darkened.

d confused.

thi

. He had thought those encounters were

staring at his photograph. And now his mother was sitting in

know what Chloe had told his mother. He didn't

anipulate his mother into push

. And no stranger was going to walk into his family's

"I'm not i

u haven't even gi

't nee

ey.

N

lled, but the anger under

rned

om the rain was no longer just

lo

cided that she was tryi

n had ever happened. He didn't know that, to her, the

one home that Saturday quietly happy, believing she had simply h